In-depth, Independent Research
Historically, the Apple Mac has been known to be one of the safest and most secure operating systems when it comes to viruses and malware. But times have changed and Macs are becoming more and more susceptible to a wide range of malicious software. Luckily, the new threats to Macs have also spawned new security software specifically designed for the Mac. Below, we review the top Mac security software suites based on protection, price, performance and ease of use. Check out the reviews to find a security software suite that fits you and gives your Mac the protection it needs.
Mac Internet Security Reviews & Prices
Updated 05-02-2013
| Service Name & Rating: | Price: | Ease of Use: | Special Features: | Anti-malware/Antivirus Score*: | System Performance Score**: | Bottom Line: |
 | $79.99/yr for 1 Mac | Different interfaces for each tool make it a little confusing, but each is sleek and easy to use | Firewall, automatic protection, location awareness, DeepSight community, Safe Surfing, File Guard |  |  | Far and away the best security software for the Mac. Full of features and protections other suites don't offer. |
 | $39.99/yr for 1 Mac Discount: Save 25% for two years of coverage | Minimal interface makes it easy to understand; installation is a breeze | Scan scheduler, quarantine area, drag-and-drop scan | | | Solid protection for your Mac that runs quietly in the background, doesn't slow performance |
 | $79.99/yr for 1 Mac | Very simple and easy to understand; most intuitive interface | Quarantine area, scan options, safe search plug-in for Firefox |  | | Offers standard, reliable security for your Mac with a simple, easy interface; a bit expensive since it offers few features |
 | $39.95/yr for 1 Mac $49.95/yr for up to 3 Macs | The interface is simple and easy to use for the most part; finding scan options confusing | Wide range of scans; quarantine area | | | Solid security with a few issues that make the software difficult to use |
 | $39.95/yr for 1 Mac 30-day free trial | Very sleek and cool looking, but the design actually hinders the usability | Quarantine area and online backup storage | | | A solid choice for reliable protection, but sleek yet confusing interface and performance problems drag it down |
| Service Name & Rating: | Price: | Ease of Use: | Special Features: | Anti-malware/Antivirus Score*: | System Performance Score**: | Bottom Line: |  | Free | Compared to its PC version, the interface is pretty plain, but easy to understand. | Mail Shield and Web Shield (which don't work for all computers); WebRep; drag-and-drop scan | | | For a free software suite, it has a lot of protection capabilities, but system glitches and poor performance hurt its overall score |
*Averaged 2010/2011 scores for each company's antivirus/anti-malware product by independent testing agency AV-Comparatives. Score indicates overall effectiveness in a variety of tests over time. † indicates that company did not take part in all tests. See reviews for details.
**Score indicates impact of antivirus product on system performance. Average of performance tests by AV-Comparatives.
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